Hrithik Roshan discusses Bollywood’s popularity at the Red Sea Film Fest, his desire to “break the rules” and why he thinks “Vikram Vedha” failed at the box office

Hrithik Roshan visited the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia late last year to host one of the festival’s popular “In Conversation” sessions. Before Roshan arrived at the festival venue, additional security was deployed as the queuing crowds moved up two floors. When Roshan finally arrived, he was mobbed. The response was not surprising. Despite Hollywood regulars like Spike Lee and Antonio Banderas, the biggest names in the Red Sea were the stars of India’s Bollywood industry.

The son of Bollywood director Rakesh Roshan, Roshan grew up in the business and is one of the biggest leading men in Indian cinema. His films have grossed more than $600 million over his two-decade career. He has been nominated ten times and won six Best Actor awards at the Film Fare Awards in India.

Below, Roshan talks to Deadline about the popularity of Indian films in Saudi Arabia, whether he wants to make the Hollywood leap and why he’s considering his latest big-budget film Vikram Vedha failed at the box office.

MEETING: How did it feel to get such a loud reception when you entered the festival grounds?

HRITHIK ROSHAN: It made me nervous at first because I am a very shy person. I grew up with a stutter. I was very shy, but I wanted to become an actor. I wasn’t ready for what happened with my first film: the popularity and fame, so over time I learned to move from nervousness and fear to gratitude. I am now grateful and just happy to be able to do my job and have the opportunity to contribute something to the world that inspires people.

DEADLINE: Many of the adoring fans who came to see you and other Bollywood stars here on the Red Sea were from Pakistan. On the world stage, Pakistan and India have a strained relationship. Do you think Bollywood stars play a role in connecting the two nations and cultures?

ROSHAN: Art is a language that can break through all borders, boundaries and differentiations to touch people where they touch the heart. Art can also unite people and promote empathy and sympathy and make people realize that we really are all the same. So movies are a good way to fill those gaps which are often a construction of power games and politics. I’m glad I’m in a company where I don’t have to think about it and can work from my heart.

MEETING: It has been widely reported in the Indian press that you have signed a deal with a Hollywood agency and are looking for opportunities in America. Is it true?

ROSHAN: So it’s a rumor that’s been around for 10 or 15 years. I am interested in making good films. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Hindi or English, and it doesn’t matter if it’s Bollywood or Hollywood, so I’m careful. But I’m not giving up my current job for it. It’s not something I’m 100% committed to. But if something comes my way and it makes sense, I’m happy to do it. Why not? I am here to learn. I love being a student. I like to be with people who know more than me. And I feel that if I do a film in Hollywood, I will learn a lot. And I look forward to it.

MEETING: Last year the box office struggled in India. One of the major underperforming projects was your film Vikram Vedha, a remake of a popular South Indian film. Why do you think it didn’t draw audiences to the theaters?

ROSHAN: Only after that, after the pandemic, we looked at the number of views of the South Indian original and it was 200, 300 million views on every platform. During the pandemic, people were hungry for content. They consumed everything, no matter what language. When we announced that we were making our version, more people started watching the original film on the platforms. It is already consumed. It was unfortunate, but I thought it was a good film.

MEETING: What’s next for you?

ROSHAN: I am currently working on a film with Siddharth Anand, with whom I did a previous project called “ War. This movie is based on the Indian Air Force, so I play a pilot. And yes, of course, the moment I say it, it comes to mind boss. And yes, boss is a film that inspired us all. It was the original. We are basing this film on a fictional story, but against the background of real events.

MEETING: What will be your guiding principles as you move into the next phase of your career?

ROSHAN: I’m in a room where I want to break the rules. I want to make films that awaken something in me. I want to be wrong because that’s where you find growth. When you take a leap of faith and challenge yourself by doing something that doesn’t match who you were in the past, you will find opportunity for surprises. So I want to do something fun and not take myself too seriously.